GOOD HOUSEKEEPING: Money-saving tips for buying tech gifts

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Waynesboro Record Herald - Waynesboro, PA

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Posted Dec. 10, 2012 at 10:30 AM
Updated Dec 10, 2012 at 10:50 AM

Posted Dec. 10, 2012 at 10:30 AM
Updated Dec 10, 2012 at 10:50 AM

With these new tech-savvy strategies and secrets from Good Housekeeping financial guru Carmen Wong Ulrich, you'll be able to spread more joy this holiday season — with less cash.
Even if you don't consider yourself a techie, you owe it to yourself to check out three tools. As you'll see, your computer and smartphone can help save you time, hassle and money — just like Good Housekeeping! — during this jolly season:
Springpad
Keep track of your holiday lists and get the best possible prices with a little help from Springpad (springpad.com; available on iPhone and Android, free). Using the app or the website itself, you can drag items into however many virtual gift lists you decide to create. Springpad sends you alerts to tell you when and exactly where prices for your selected items have been lowered, or if coupons or other special offers have become available.
Ulrich decided to check it out by tracking a toy for her daughter, Bianca — specifically, the Crayola Color Wonder Sound Studio. It was first listed at $35, but she received an alert a day later that she could nab it for $17.38 through the end of the month. That's less than half the original price — a great discount.
Amazon Wish List
The Amazon Wish List enables you to make gift lists and monitor price reductions on amazon.com's beloved mega marketplace. Your friends and family can share links to the lists of presents they hope to receive. You can click on whatever gifts you're thinking about getting them, easily creating your own list. Amazon will rack the items on your master list and tell you when their prices drop.
Ulrich followed a new Keurig Special Edition B60 Brewing System (a great gift from the whole family or a coffee-loving friend). At first the lowest price was $135, which was already almost 50 percent off the suggested retail price. Then, two days later, the price dropped another $5 — not a huge amount, but saving that much on every single gift on your list could add up to one very merry holiday.
RedLaser and ShopSavvy
These helpful apps, RedLaser and ShopSavvy (redlaser.com and shopsavvy.com; available on iPhone and Android, free) first allow smartphone users to scan bar codes while trolling the aisles at a store; then they magically track down lower prices — whether online, at other retailers, or even at the very same store, thanks to special discount codes and the like. It's a brilliant way to avoid endless shopping around (plus the cost of gas) or the hours of Web surfing when you're looking for that special gift.
Another matter
The rules for red
Sporting red lipstick is more than just a way to channel your inner screen siren. Wear the classic hue, and your teeth may instantly appear whiter. Here, makeup artist Susan Posnick offers tips for finding your ideal shade.
Check the undertone: “Each red has one of three: yellow, orange, blue or a bit of both (a neutral red). You'll get the best brightening with a blue-based lipstick, because it detracts from the yellow in your teeth.” How to tell the difference? Swipe three different red lipsticks on the inside of your wrist: “By having a point of comparison, you'll be able to see the varying undertones in all three.” Testing on this part of your arm is ideal; the blue of your veins will help you pick out a lipstick's blue tones. Try: MAC Cosmetics Lipstick in Russian Red ($15, maccosmetics.com).
Recalls
The following products and vehicles were recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Unless otherwise indicated, discontinue use of the products immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a refund. For more information about the products, call the manufacturer or CPSC's toll-free hotline, 1-800-638-2772. Only some cars or trucks recalled are affected. Contact a dealer for your model to see if it is included in the recall. The dealer will tell you what to do.
- Honda Portable Generators
The generator's fuel hose can leak, posing fire and burn hazards. For more information, phone American Honda toll-free at 1-888-888-3139, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit powerequipment.honda.com and click on “Recalls and Updates” under “Service and Support” for more information.
- Toyota Prius, 2004-09
The affected vehicles have a steering intermediate extension shaft assembly built with metal splines that complete the connection from the steering wheel to the steering gear. These splines may have been manufactured with an insufficient hardness. Over time, the splines may wear and eventually fail resulting in a loss of steering ability, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash. Owners also may contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.